


To Carry That Burden

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27363142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: Soren wants to take care of Ike, like Ike takes care of him.
Relationships: Ike/Senerio | Soren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	To Carry That Burden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rosage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosage/gifts).



> From this prompt:  
> [Your OTP comes home after a very long drive. Person A is wide awake, but Person B is extremely exhausted and falls asleep in a very uncomfortable spot. Person A wants to carry them to bed, but there a problem: B is really tall and REALLY heavy, and A is very weak.](https://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/182766136633/your-otp-comes-home-after-a-very-long-drive)
> 
> Path of Radiance era missing scene.
> 
> Happy Holidays, Rosage.

The caravan had been seemingly endless, that hopeless march to Daein. It became even more of a trek when they had to traverse the snow and ice. They were all bone-tired, especially Soren at the revelation of his bloodline. Even sleep offered little peace for him now. He was haunted by dreams and memories.

Soren ducked under the tent and looked inside.

"Ike?" He said softly.

The room was lit by a single candle, left far too close to the brown tent flaps.

The war tent, where plans were laid out had been left nearly empty. All save for the one person left there. Ike was slumped against a barrel full of supplies. His cloak was wrapped tight about him, and only a hint of his blue hair shone through in the dim light. A map was curled up beside him, just beyond his reach.

Soren quickly bent to check for injuries. No, no wounds. Some lingering bloodstains from the last battle, but that was to be expected with such a ceaseless march. That, at least, was a relief.

The candle had burned down, but not entirely. Soren snuffed it out with a single blow. He would have to speak to Ike about this yet again.

(Once, Ike had lifted him up in a very exhausted moment. His hems had been soaked with rain. But, Soren couldn't do the same.)

He rested his hand at the back of Ike's neck. "Ike?"

He could go for help, and ask for someone much stronger. But the thought of someone else touching Ike, even like this, left a sour aftertaste. 

If he'd been stronger, the mage wouldn't have abandoned him. But, that was how it was. No need to linger on it. His magic couldn't make him lift up Ike, even if he wished it could. 

Soren's dark robes pooled beneath him as he bent down and knelt by Ike. He reached out and gently patted Ike on the back. 

"Ike, I'm sorry to wake you, but you'll be quite sore tomorrow if you sleep like that."

"Mnnn...."

"I know the walk has been long and arduous, but please wake up. For me," he said the next part especially softly. Words he truly had no right to speak aloud, as if he even had the right to hope.

"Soren...?"

"If you need help getting up...If you're exhausted, lean on me. Even if it's uncomfortable, I'll take that weight."

Ike looked up rather groggily, but said nothing. Soren offered his hand. 

"I'm good at tasks, at filling the ledgers and readying tactics. But telling someone the world will get better surely? In my experience, it won't."

"I'd probably hurt you."

"I wouldn't mind. If I could help even a little."

Ike leaned in, until his head was against Soren's robes. Soren could only still at the touch, and pressure against him. He didn't dare breathe, speak or move, lest Ike move away.

And this was how it was, how it had been for years. The breathless feeling when Ike touched him and was near him that he could not voice.

It was both a relief and a deep disappointment when Ike moved away and stood up.

Ike left the tent, and Soren followed him close. The air was clear and cold. Green lights soared over the skies in a brilliant arc.

Ike stared up at the beautiful sight painted across the skies.

"Is that some spirit magic?" Ike said.

"No, it's a particular thing native to these lands. There are many myths that attribute it to the works of the Goddess, though there are many variations. However, it would take me all night to tell you them all," Soren said.

"It looked like your magic, the way you control the wind," Ike said.

"Perhaps, it does. But only a little," Soren said.

Ike smiled, just so. His breath left white against the sky. "You would find all the differences between magic and lights in the sky."

"Most assuredly, there are quite a few noticeable differences," Soren said.

Ike wrapped his cloak about them both. "I don't want you getting cold."

He wanted to be the one to help Ike, and yet it was Ike who over and over saved him. He pulled Ike's cloak closer, and caught the scent of leather. The cold couldn't reach him here. Not when his heart pulsed and beat like this, like he had any right to hope.

"Ike, please don't forget to snuff out your candle again. Not merely because it wastes supplies. If it tipped and burned, your tent could catch fire, and you could be injured...or worse."

"Did I forget again? If father were here, he would certainly scold me for such carelessness," Ike said.

Soren stared down at the snow. The whiteness shone in the night. "He would want me to scold you in his place," Soren said.

"I could just see him now. 'Soren, make sure you tell Ike not to waste candles. He could hurt someone if it tipped and started a fire.'"

He wanted to apologize, even though logically, he had done all he could. He couldn't have singlehandedly defeated the Black Knight, and to try would've likely ended up with him dead as well. Still, the pain would always be there with Soren.

Ike didn't deserve tragedy, even a bit. But the world was itself cruel and tragic. That was simply how it was. If he could have changed the world, even slightly, for Ike's sake alone, Soren would have. No matter what the cost.

But, he couldn't then, and couldn't now. All Soren could do was be at Ike's side, and help where he could.

Ike started to head out towards his tent. Soren followed, careful to keep in step or they'd both fall into the snow together, tangled in his cloak.

Like they had as children. With handfuls of snow fashioned into balls and thrown at each other until everyone had red noses and sniffles, and nearly ended up chilled.

Ike turned, and reached out. He brushed snow from Soren's long dark hair. Soren stilled then at the touch. Ike lingered there, his hands tangled in Soren's hair.

"Go take care of yourself. Don't be too cold, now."

He pulled off his coat and handed it to Soren. "Wrap yourself up tight."

Ike held up his hand to Soren's protests. "You can give it to me in the morning. You're always the first person I see."

Soren bit his lower lip, just to keep from saying so many words that welled up in him. 

_I adore you beyond any known words_ and _I would do anything for you. Please, let me stay by your side for the rest of our lives_ and _would you still look at me the same, if you knew?_

Not merely what he truly was, but how he felt. 

"Good night, Ike. Ah...sweet dreams."

"Did Mist get to you? She's always scolding me. 'Don't forget to tell someone sweet dreams, or they might have a nightmare.'"

"That probably," Soren said.

The tent flapped closed, but Soren didn't immediately walk away.

Soren wrapped the cloak tight about him and stared up at the moon and the lights. Tomorrow, he could help Ike more. He could check the ledgers, buy the supplies, check every weapon again, to make sure none of the troops hadn't been careless. There were a thousand ways he could be useful to Ike, even if he wasn't strong enough in this moment to help.

"Tomorrow," Soren said to himself. He pulled the cloak close and headed back to his tent.


End file.
